I was wondering if someone would critique this photo both on concept and execution. I'm just learning through trial and error at the moment so any input would be greatly appreciated!
Cinderella after the ball
Imagine you are at a party that some random person invited you to. One or two drinks in you start to feel a buzz... thats odd it usually takes more... the room starts to twist and turn as you dance. All the guys look awesome and are so sweet. You know you shouldn't, but you want them all... and then you realize this isn't like you at all. What the heck is wrong.
While to some it seems far fetched this sort of thing happens all the time. It happened to me... once. Luckily I had some friends looking out for me. But I have no doubt now... I was drugged. I shutter to think about what might have happened if people hadn't looked out for me.
This is what inspired this shot... what happened to cinderella at a ball these days. This photo is dedicated to all those girls and women who have been drugged and/or victims of physical/sexual assault at a party.
I can't tell what that is in the background, a glass slipper? :)
The only thing that stands out, is all the colour, which grabs the eye, is at the very bottom. My eye looks at the sharp blue glass, then the red and then that's about it, the background is so blurry I can' make anything out. Which is fine, but I think the image would be balance better if the red was further back (towards top of image) and more out of focus, because red is such a strong colour. Squint and look at the picture and you'll see what I mean.
I think maybe a slightly lower perspective too, with the glass a bit more side-on, but that's just my preference.
Same thing happened to a friend of mine. She was looked after by friends too fortunately
A picture may be worth 1000 words, but without the words I would not have got the story at all. I generally love shallow depth of field. I think on this one I would have closed the f-stop a little more so you could better see the shoe. Quite the story behind it.
To add to what Mike said....I wouldn't have cut off just a bit of the glass...either cut of 1/3 to 1/2 of the glass or have the whole thing in there...maybe a shot of the pill in the glass with the slipper in the background would convey the thought behind it a little more directly or in another way.
I don't think the two different colors are communicating what you want them too. In your synopsis, you don't mention blood or bleeding, and so that red (which I think naturally leads to the assumption 'blood') is confusing. I'd have gone with just the blue drink and maybe a more focused inclusion of the shoe. If you want to spill something next to it, perhaps the blue of the drink? I think it's a really good creative idea though - best of luck! :)
I agree with @mcrt I think it would of been better to see the blood a bit better as the central focus is on glass and it would of helped to show a bit more of the background as its part of the story.
I would of also pushed the glass off to the left a little.
Great concept and I love where you are going with this.
I love the punch of color...but since you were telling a story with this photo the slipper needs to be in focus to clarify the story. Fantastic subject great shot.
If I were setting up the shot I'd have had the full glass shot from a lower angle, a pill in the glass and a blurry background, possibly a faint figure on the floor on her back, rather than a glass slipper .
Cinderella wasn't drugged and she ran away, maybe more of a Sleeping Beauty (and if you look into the origins of that story that is closer to what you're trying to portray, lecherous king raped young girl whilst she was asleep in his castle....turn that into a fairy story!)
Or the glass on it's side, liquid puddling out of it and remnants of pill and blurred background.
Without words and if you're trying to portray rape through rohypnol type drugs you need to hold the viewers hand a bit, just a glass and you could think they were drunk not drugged.
Not sure why, but the other one on your flickr, the drink being in the background really works better for me. Instead of being the main subject, you see the blood and slipper first and wonder what's happened, then you see the drink in the background and go aha!
I just noticed you said you shutter to think, rather than shudder! How appropriate!
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I can't tell what that is in the background, a glass slipper? :)
The only thing that stands out, is all the colour, which grabs the eye, is at the very bottom. My eye looks at the sharp blue glass, then the red and then that's about it, the background is so blurry I can' make anything out. Which is fine, but I think the image would be balance better if the red was further back (towards top of image) and more out of focus, because red is such a strong colour. Squint and look at the picture and you'll see what I mean.
I think maybe a slightly lower perspective too, with the glass a bit more side-on, but that's just my preference.
Same thing happened to a friend of mine. She was looked after by friends too fortunately
I would of also pushed the glass off to the left a little.
Great concept and I love where you are going with this.
If I were setting up the shot I'd have had the full glass shot from a lower angle, a pill in the glass and a blurry background, possibly a faint figure on the floor on her back, rather than a glass slipper .
Cinderella wasn't drugged and she ran away, maybe more of a Sleeping Beauty (and if you look into the origins of that story that is closer to what you're trying to portray, lecherous king raped young girl whilst she was asleep in his castle....turn that into a fairy story!)
Or the glass on it's side, liquid puddling out of it and remnants of pill and blurred background.
Without words and if you're trying to portray rape through rohypnol type drugs you need to hold the viewers hand a bit, just a glass and you could think they were drunk not drugged.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eking1989/6656006055/
I just noticed you said you shutter to think, rather than shudder! How appropriate!